Shotgun Jimmie

Sackville, NB’s favourite adopted son travelled to Brandon, Manitoba to record these 16 tracks, average length two minutes 25 seconds, which entertain an admirable variety of notions. Some of the shorter tunes feel like demos that will likely be expanded upon later. “Growing Like a Garden” packs rhymes such as “alarming” and “farming” into a delightful companion for lazy afternoon drinks. Another master of brevity, Guided By Voices, gets an offhand salute in “Ladyhawk,” featuring speed strumming in the key of A. As “a lightweight waiting for a Skype date,” Jimmie fits many online love misgivings into 70 seconds. If it’s not all brilliant, think of the lower third as rock kernels of promise.